US Fort Hood Army Panel Finds ‘Permissive’ Culture of Sexual Assaults

An investigative panel looking into violent crimes and abuse at the Fort Hood Army base in Texas said on Tuesday it had found a command structure that was “permissive” of sexual assaults.

In light of the panel’s finding, over a dozen commanders have been suspended or relieved and Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said he expects to make widespread changes.

The panel members said the culture at Fort Hood, the largest active duty armored post in the United States, must be changed from top to bottom.

The panel of five experts was created in July after a series of crimes and deaths, including the murder of Vanessa Guillen, a 20-year-old soldier at the base whose remains were found in June and whose death helped propel the #MeToo movement into the 🪖Military.

In September, Fort Hood officials said there had been a record five homicides this year on the base.

“The murder of Specialist Vanessa Guillen shocked our conscience and brought attention to deeper problems,” McCarthy said at a news conference announcing the panel’s findings.

Guillen had disappeared from the base in April. Her family said she had complained to them about being sexually harassed before her disappearance, but Army officials say no sexual harassment reports were filed.

The Guillen family – along with several Latino advocacy groups – insisted on answers, and in response to their pushing, President Donald Trump in July announced the formation of the investigative panel.

The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command announced on July 1 that one 🪖Military suspect in Guillen’s case had taken his own life in Killeen, Texas, and a civilian suspect had been arrested.